BBC Poll: Iraqis Are Optimistic

Annie

Diamond Member
Nov 22, 2003
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4514414.stm

Survey finds optimism in new Iraq
An opinion poll suggests Iraqis are generally optimistic about their lives, in spite of the violence that has plagued Iraq since the US-led invasion.

But the survey, carried out for the BBC and other media, found security fears still dominate most Iraqis' thoughts.

Their priority for the coming year would be the restoration of security and the withdrawal of foreign troops.

A majority of the 1,700 people questioned wanted a united Iraq with a strong central government.

Hopes for future

Although most Iraqis were optimistic about the future, the poll found significant regional variations in responses. :shocked:[Ya think?]


In central Iraq respondents were far less optimistic about the situation in one year's time than those in Baghdad, the south and north.

The BBC News website's World Affairs correspondent, Paul Reynolds, says the survey shows a degree of optimism at variance with the usual depiction of the country as one in total chaos.

The findings are more in line with the kind of arguments currently being deployed by US President George W Bush, he says.
:clap1:

However, our correspondent adds that critics will claim that the survey proves little beyond showing how resilient Iraqis are at a local level - and that it reveals enough important exceptions to the rosy assessment, especially in the centre of the country, to indicate serious dissatisfaction. :rolleyes:

Interviewers found that 71% of those questioned said things were currently very or quite good in their personal lives, while 29% found their lives very or quite bad.

When asked whether their lives would improve in the coming year, 64% said things would be better and 12% said they expected things to be worse.

However, Iraqis appear to have a more negative view of the overall situation in their country, with 53% answering that the situation is bad, and 44% saying it is good. [Then again, one might conclude they were realistic and not necessarily negative.]

But they were more hopeful for the future - 69% expect Iraq to improve, while 11% say it will worsen.

Security

When asked to choose a priority for the new government due to be formed after this week's parliamentary elections, 57% wanted to focus on restoring public security.

Removing US-led forces from Iraq came second with 10%, while rebuilding the country's infrastructure was third.

Half of those questioned felt Iraq needed a single, strong leader following December's vote, while 28% thought democracy was more important.

However, opinions changed when people were asked about what Iraq would need in five years' time.

Support for a strong leader fell to 31% and that for democracy rose to 45%.

The support for democracy does not translate into support for Iraq's political parties.

Only 25% had confidence in Iraq's politicians - far lower than the 67% who trust its religious leaders and army.

Toby Dodge, an Iraq specialist at the University of London, says the poll reflects the transition from a brutal dictatorship.

"It indicates a much wider problem that is making political organisation and mobilisation difficult," he told the BBC.

"There are high and rising levels of trust in the indigenous security institutions of the Iraqi government due to the rising profile of specifically Iraqi soldiers and police on the streets and an investment of hope in them." Mr Dodge says trust begins to drop off significantly as the institutions of government become more bureaucratic.

"The very low level of support for the specific political parties is consistent with other polls and bad news for democratic politics post-elections," he says.

The poll by Oxford Research International was commissioned by the BBC, ABC News and other international media organisations.

In all, 1,711 Iraqis were interviewed throughout the country in October and November 2005.
 
More interesting analysis:

http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/19244.html

Judith Apter Klinghoffer
ONLY 8.9% IRAQIS: WORST THING OCCUPATION FORCES NOT LEAVING

Iraqis are very proud people. They are offended by having to be rescued from Saddam by the US led coalition. The May 2004 survey reveals that only half of them believed they were liberated from Saddam and about half believed they were humiliated by the invasion. I believe the two go hand in hand. But almost three quarters of the Iraqis were optimistic about their personal future in 2004 and the number has not changed significantly in 2005. And despite the horrendous terrorist campaign, only 2.2% list terrorist attacks as their single most important problem.

I suspect that pride along with the lessons of the past year are the reason Iraqis express so much trust in Iraqi police and military. Be that as it may, Iraqis are NOT anxious to see foreign forces leave the country.

When asked what would be the worst thing that could happen to Iraq in the next 12 months, only 8.9% chose "occupation not leaving Iraq."

When asked what would be the best thing that could happen to Iraq in the next 12 months, only 5.7% chose American forces leaving Iraq.


One thing is sure, American media fails to reflect the reality reflected in this poll.

Posted on Monday, December 12, 2005 at 6:25 PM
 
when you think about this it's amazing..The Iraqi's live with bombings and death everyday, yet they are more optimisitc than we here in the U.S. are.
 
Bonnie said:
when you think about this it's amazing..The Iraqi's live with bombings and death everyday, yet they are more optimisitc than we here in the U.S. are.
I guess it's just that things are so much better than they were?
 
Bonnie said:
when you think about this it's amazing..The Iraqi's live with bombings and death everyday, yet they are more optimisitc than we here in the U.S. are.

You mean no one has told them they are losing and can't win?
 
GunnyL said:
You mean no one has told them they are losing and can't win?
Well I think Al Jazeera has been trying, but for some reason the Iraqis aren't buying it. I think their thriving press has something to do with it.
 
Kathianne said:
Well I think Al Jazeera has been trying, but for some reason the Iraqis aren't buying it. I think their thriving press has something to do with it.

al Jazeera Hell ...... all you need is a copy of the NYT or WP ..... :cool:
 
GunnyL said:
al Jazeera Hell ...... all you need is a copy of the NYT or WP ..... :cool:
LOL, some of US is not tough, have had it too soft, physically and intellectually. We were speaking of the Iraqis. Fewer of them seem to bow down to their "MSM" and more newspapers, tv stations, radio stations, and bloggers are getting out each and every day.
 
Kathianne said:
LOL, some of US is not tough, have had it too soft, physically and intellectually. We were speaking of the Iraqis. Fewer of them seem to bow down to their "MSM" and more newspapers, tv stations, radio stations, and bloggers are getting out each and every day.

You are of course correct. However, it takes very little prodding to get me to take a shot at the Post especially, but the NYT as well.

It is irrelevant most Iraqi's couldn't read them if they had access to them. :halo:
 
Kathianne said:
Well I think Al Jazeera has been trying, but for some reason the Iraqis aren't buying it. I think their thriving press has something to do with it.

It's all those pesky satellite dishes :clap1:
 
Bonnie said:
It's all those pesky satellite dishes :clap1:

No doubt and the people's desire to move ahead as quickly as possible. Truly amazing. What a story! Unfortunately one has to hunt it down here in the good ole US of A. Tis a shame!
 
Kathianne said:
No doubt and the people's desire to move ahead as quickly as possible. Truly amazing. What a story! Unfortunately one has to hunt it down here in the good ole US of A. Tis a shame!


I'll have to look for the article, but the media Research center put out one that said out of 8,000 articles on Iraq, only something like 4 positive articles and another 7 talked about the rebuilding efforts there by our troops...
 
Kathianne said:
No doubt and the people's desire to move ahead as quickly as possible. Truly amazing. What a story! Unfortunately one has to hunt it down here in the good ole US of A. Tis a shame!

A shame is right. This isn't even a "good ole US of A" poll .... it's BBC.

I wonder just WHO is responsible for making it en vogue to be the enemy of your own damned country.
 
full picture:

By WILL LESTER Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON Dec 12, 2005 — Most Iraqis disapprove of the presence of U.S. forces in their country, yet they are optimistic about Iraq's future and their own personal lives, according to a new poll.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed oppose the presence of troops from the United States and its coalition partners and less than half, 44 percent, say their country is better off now than it was before the war, according to an ABC News poll conducted with Time magazine and other media partners.

But Iraqis are surprisingly upbeat on many fronts, the poll suggests.

Attitudes about Iraq's future were sharply different in the Sunni provinces and other parts of Iraq, however. Only a third in the Sunni regions were optimistic about their country's future. Shiites, who with the Kurds dominate the current parliament, had a much more positive view than the Sunnis of their own personal safety and whether their own lives are going well.

A majority of both the Sunni and Shiite population say they favor a unified country, however.

In other poll findings:

Two-thirds express confidence in the Iraqi army and in police.

Half now say the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was wrong, up from 39 percent in February 2004.

More than six in 10 say they feel safe in their neighborhoods, up from 40 percent in June 2004.

Six in 10 say local security is good, up from half in February 2004.

But the national concern mentioned most often is security, named by 57 percent.

A fourth of those surveyed, 26 percent, say U.S. forces should leave now, and another 19 percent say troops should leave after those chosen in this week's election take office. The other half say U.S. troops should stay until security is restored, 31 percent, until Iraqi forces can operate independently, 16 percent, or longer, 5 percent.

The poll was conducted by Oxford Research International face-to-face with 1,711 Iraqis age 15 and over from Oct. 8 to Nov. 22. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

* * *

I agree, it's a shame we don't get more solid information. Part of the problem is the administration's obsessive secrecy (today is the first time in the war that Bush has mentioned Iraqi casualty figures--he suggested 30,000 dead) and the security situation on the ground, which prevents journalists from working safely.

Mariner
 
Mariner said:
full picture:

By WILL LESTER Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON Dec 12, 2005 — Most Iraqis disapprove of the presence of U.S. forces in their country, yet they are optimistic about Iraq's future and their own personal lives, according to a new poll.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed oppose the presence of troops from the United States and its coalition partners and less than half, 44 percent, say their country is better off now than it was before the war, according to an ABC News poll conducted with Time magazine and other media partners.

But Iraqis are surprisingly upbeat on many fronts, the poll suggests.

Attitudes about Iraq's future were sharply different in the Sunni provinces and other parts of Iraq, however. Only a third in the Sunni regions were optimistic about their country's future. Shiites, who with the Kurds dominate the current parliament, had a much more positive view than the Sunnis of their own personal safety and whether their own lives are going well.

A majority of both the Sunni and Shiite population say they favor a unified country, however.

In other poll findings:

Two-thirds express confidence in the Iraqi army and in police.

Half now say the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was wrong, up from 39 percent in February 2004.

More than six in 10 say they feel safe in their neighborhoods, up from 40 percent in June 2004.

Six in 10 say local security is good, up from half in February 2004.

But the national concern mentioned most often is security, named by 57 percent.

A fourth of those surveyed, 26 percent, say U.S. forces should leave now, and another 19 percent say troops should leave after those chosen in this week's election take office. The other half say U.S. troops should stay until security is restored, 31 percent, until Iraqi forces can operate independently, 16 percent, or longer, 5 percent.

The poll was conducted by Oxford Research International face-to-face with 1,711 Iraqis age 15 and over from Oct. 8 to Nov. 22. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

* * *

I agree, it's a shame we don't get more solid information. Part of the problem is the administration's obsessive secrecy (today is the first time in the war that Bush has mentioned Iraqi casualty figures--he suggested 30,000 dead) and the security situation on the ground, which prevents journalists from working safely.

Mariner
And this poll has already been questioned of what areas their 'sample' was from. Anyone want to say heavily Sunni?
 
Mariner said:
full picture:

By WILL LESTER Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON Dec 12, 2005 — Most Iraqis disapprove of the presence of U.S. forces in their country, yet they are optimistic about Iraq's future and their own personal lives, according to a new poll.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed oppose the presence of troops from the United States and its coalition partners and less than half,

A fourth of those surveyed, 26 percent, say U.S. forces should leave now, and another 19 percent say troops should leave after those chosen in this week's election take office. The other half say U.S. troops should stay until security is restored, 31 percent, until Iraqi forces can operate independently, 16 percent, or longer, 5 percent.
Im sorry, I must not be reading this correctly. The writer claims more than half (most, that is still what it means isnt it?) of Iraqis dissapprove of the US presence? but lets add things up. 26 and 19% =45% want us troops out now or after the elections. The other "half" actually, more than half, say, they should stay until. security is restored...or longer...

Is he claiming that those who think our troops should stay until security is restored also think the troops shouldnt be there?
 

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